The Graflex View Cameras

Graflex produced only
three cameras which may be considered as true view cameras. It was best
known for its press cameras and the big Graflex SLR's. There were also
these three view cameras, the Crown View (1938-42),
the Graphic View (1941-49) and the Graphic
View II (1949-67). The Graphic View and View II cameras were produced
and sold in volume. A pristine example of either can be purchased for the
price of a modern roll film back, and it probably will come with a usable
lens. The cameras may be dismissed today by some as unworthy because they
are so inexpensive, but the low price is a result of the fact that so many
were made. So many were made because photographers wanted them. They wanted
them because they were (and are) fine cameras. These view cameras were
well made and remain a viable option for the large format photographer.

The Crown View

The Crown View camera was manufactured by the Folmer Graflex Corporation
from 1938 to 1942. It is a classic folding wooden view camera in the tradition
of the Korona. It has twin rails which provided geared movement to allow focusing
with either standard. Minimum extension is 3 9/16. An extension-rails
attachment was included, and allowed 19 inches of bellows extension. The
Crown View is a pretty camera, with its reddish brown bellows and well-finished
wood. The wood is accented with a choice of satin brass or satin chrome
hardware. Apparently the brass version was more popular; the chrome version
was slightly more expensive ($57.50 vs $63.00 in 1939) and ended production
in 1941, while the brass version continued production into the following
year.

The
movements provided in the Crown View are typical for this type of camera.
It had front rise (1) and fall (13/16). Front shift (1 3/16) and tilt
(12 degrees) completed the movements. There were no front swings. The rear
standard had only swing and tilt (both 12 degrees). These meager movements
may make the Crown View camera more of a nice display piece today.
It probably would fill the needs of many modern photographers,
but other cameras in the same used price range provide more movements.
Its better to have it and not need it, you know.

The lens board is the same as the 4"x4" board used by the pre-Pacemaker
Speed Graphic 4x5 cameras (and others, including the Meridian 45B).
In fact, the Graphic View and View II later used the same board. A recessed
lens board (5/8) is often seen on the used market, but it apparently was
made for the View and View II cameras. It works perfectly on the Crown,
and provides a little more room when photographing with that Graflex or
Wollensak 3 ½ lens.

The back of the Crown View was reversible, i.e., you changed from vertical
to horizontal orientation by taking the back off, turning it, and reinstalling
it. The mechanism involves two little clips on the body and two pins
on the back. The arrangement worked so well that Graflex used it with the
Graphic View and View II. The backs are not interchangeable between the
Crown View and the later cameras, but the backs on the Graphic View interchange
with the View II. The backs for the camera were available in any combination
of Graphic or Graflex, 4x5" or 3-1/4 x 4 1/4".

The Graphic View

The pretty little Crown View was doomed from the start. It was new production
of old technology, and was quickly eclipsed by its new stable mate, the
Graphic View. The Folmer Graflex Corporation began production of
the Graphic View in 1941 (maybe '40, depending on authority). Its modern
engineering and appearance consigned the poor Crown View to oblivion after
a short production run. Actually, it is unfair to compare these two cameras.
The Crown View was less flexible but much more portable. For whatever reasons,
Folmer Graflex did not want to manufacture both of them. It would have
been competing with itself, and the Crown View already had some other contemporary competitors. This new Graphic View had no real competition, and Graflex
was able to sell it for $97.50 in 1941. While it does not have the classic
beauty of the wooden view camera, the Graphic View is very attractive itself,
in an art deco way. The red bellows and the inverted-V rail are distinctive.
The camera sold and sold well.

The Graphic View is a monorail design. The inverted-V monorail is made
of an aluminum alloy, with a rack and pinion focusing mechanism hidden
under the rail. The camera attaches to a tripod with a Graflex-made tripod
head. In fact, without that tripod head, the camera is useless. A machinist
can make an adapter that fits the rail, but it may be less expensive just
to find and buy a complete beater camera to get its tripod head. That means
that when you are looking for a Graphic View (or View II, since it uses
the same setup), you should be sure that the tripod head is included. The
tripod head apparently was sold as an accessory at first. Were they hand-holding
the camera?!? Later, the tripod head was included with each Graphic View
and View II.

The Graphic View and View II came with a really useful carrying case. It
was made from a mysterious material called "Vulcanoid." The camera is securely
held inverted in the case along with just about anything you may need for
a shoot. It is useful for that purpose today. If you are shooting within
easy walking distance of your car, the View or View II can be carried to
the location in the secure, protective Vulcanoid case. You can easily carry
the movements of a true view camera to the location. The Graphic View has more movements than the average field camera at a fraction of the
cost. Save that little field camera for situations when you really need
portability at the cost of flexibility. As you know, all the camera does
is connect the lens with the film holder. The ubiquitous Graphic View cameras
do a fine job of connecting.

Focus
is by moving either standard with two knobs that are connected to the rack
and pinion mechanism hidden under the V. Focus lock was by a lever under
each knob, but collars that are tightened to lock the knobs soon replaced
the original levers. The top of the front standard has an accessory attachment
point for a bellows lens hood, shown below on a Graphic View II. The lens
hood is hard to find now and can cost half as much as an entire camera.
It is really pretty for display, but a hat held in your non-release hand
is much less trouble, very effective, less expensive and easier to carry.
The accessory mount on top of the front standard can also hold an accessory
bracket for a Graflite flash. The flash is held sideways. The attachment
point is essentially a screw and its hole. The screw is often missing
in used cameras. Unless you want to mount an accessory or find the empty
screw hole objectionable, the loss of the screw is not too serious.

The
Graphic View camera has base tilts on both standards. The front standard
has rise and fall (3 5/8") by operation of a locking rack and pinion mechanism.
Both standards shift 5/8" either way, and tilt 26 degrees either way. Both
standards also swing 12 degrees.

Maximum
bellows extension is 12". Minimum extension is 3 1/2" which may be reduced
by using that recessed lens board. The movements have a centering notch.
With tilt and swing, the standards are parallel when at the extremes of
their movement. The rear standard has a spirit level and clips for a dark
cloth. As with the Crown View, the landscape/portrait
orientation is easily changed by removing the back and reattaching it in
the proper orientation. The camera came with either a Graflex or Graphic
back, and 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" reducing backs were available in either Graphic
or Graflex configuration.

The Graphic View was never
available with a Graflok back, even though the Graflok back was introduced
on Pacemaker cameras before production of the Graphic View ceased.
Nonetheless, you often find Graphic View cameras with retrofitted Graflok backs. You cannot
distinguish Graphic View and Graphic View II cameras by looking at the
back. Both cameras were available with either Graflex or Graphic backs.
The backs can be mixed and matched.

Graphic View Ground Glass

Graphic View Clips

The Graphic View II

The Graphic View II,
seen in the above photo (left), was introduced by Graflex, Inc., in 1949.
The photo above shows the View II and the Graphic View with both standards
adjusted to maximum tilt and swing. The newer version has a slightly different
finish, but you have to look hard to see it. The Graphic View has a satin
gray finish on painted metal surfaces. The same parts on the View II are
painted with a silver paint that has a slightly mottled look to it. The
measurements for the Graphic View II's movements are the same as the original
Graphic View's measurements. The Graphic View II has a four-inch longer
monorail and a correspondingly longer bellows extension of 16 inches. The
tilts were changed to axis tilts from the Graphic View's base tilts.
With the axis tilts, adjustments of the tilt pivot at the optical axis,
and thus affect focus less than the base tilts do.

At first, the Graphic View II was
available with the same array of Graflex and Graphic backs and reducing
backs. In the early 1950's, Graflex would make a Graflok back by special
order. After 1955, the Graflok back was the only back available. One very
useful accessory is an adapter that allows use of 4x5 Pacemaker lens boards
on either camera. The adapter attaches to the camera, and any number of
Pacemaker lens boards may be used with one adapter.A clever person might
consider buying a Super Graphic camera and a Graphic View or View II. This
person could spend money on the best lenses that he/she can afford and
an adapter so the mounted lenses could be mounted on Pacemaker boards and used
on both of these fine cameras. That combination would cover most situations
unless extension of more than 16 inches is needed. Another 3 inches of
extension would be available with a Crown view, which could be bought for
a couple hundred bucks. Well, maybe that is carrying this Graflex thing
too far. The author, for one, does not think so.